Six Times
by Readergirl37
Summary: Five times the timing wasn't right for Elijah/Elena and the time it finally was. Elejah.
1. Somewhere in s3

AN: Chapter one is set somewhere between the Mikaelsons coming back and November 6/7 when Elena dies in canon when Matt drives off the bridge. No Mikaelson drama aka Original parents.

* * *

Elena looks at him with wide eyes, biting her lip as if they weren't just kissing, like he's not inches away.

"I can't. I can't do this. Not now. I have so much more to do and I don't want to ruin this because I-" Elena stops. He can hear her heart pound furiously in her chest, and he reaches a hand out to touch her face. She leans into it and bites her lip harder.

"Elijah-I can't. And you're going to New Orleans and you're going to be happy. That's what you said, right?" Elena asks and he nods, eyes darting to her lips.

"I'm human. And you have to go," Elena murmurs and he kisses her again before he pulls away.

"I know," His voice is heavy. Elena closes her eyes and his hand leaves her face and waits for the sound of movement, but he kisses her forehead, tenderly.

"Always and forever," Elijah murmurs and she keeps her eyes closed as she waits for the wooshing noise she's gotten used to hearing from disappearing vampires.


	2. Dead

Elijah finds her curled up in her bathroom the next time he sees her, and his eyes still look how they used to. Like she's still the only person he wants to see.

"Elena," Elijah breathes and tears begin to streak down her cheeks. Elijah sits next to her and pulls her to him, holding her so tightly she thinks maybe the pressure can keep her from falling apart.

"I'm dead. I'm really dead. I'm going to die. I-I haven't even lived yet," Elena cries into his neck, and he just holds her for a few moments.

"Do you want that? Do you want to die human?" Elijah can't stop the questions, he needs to know, he's holding the woman he loves and she's slowly _dying_ in his arms.

"I don't know. I never wanted to be a vampire. There was supposed to be so much more time. I was-I don't want to die again. Not now. I want to live and I want to be human," Elena admits and sniffles.

"I'm sorry, lovely Elena," He murmurs and she tightens her grip on him when he shifts his position. There's a sharp inhale of breath she holds for a moment and he waits.

"Please. Please don't go. Don't leave me. You promised me. _Always and forever_ ,"Elena pleads.

"I'm not leaving. I was just adjusting to a better position," Elijah informs her.

"Good. I don't know what I'm going to pick and I need you. I can't be alone and you've always been-" Elena trails off.

"How'd you know? How'd you know I needed you here?" Elena asks. Elijah's good, but someone had to tell him.

"Jeremy called and said you needed me. So here I am," Elijah says quietly. Elena knows they're close, physically at the moment and another time she might be distracted by that. Elena sighs quietly. She's not mad, she's glad Jeremy had the ability to do that when she couldn't.

"I couldn't think of what to say. _Hey I'm dying and I have a dilemma and I need you please come back to Mystic Falls even though you've probably forgotten about me,_ " Elena says and he pulls away from her to see her face.

"I could never forget you. Nor would I want to," Elijah says fiercely and Elena bites her lip. She meets his eyes for a few seconds, and then closes them.

"Elijah, I made my choice. So we should probably get off my bathroom floor," Elena says and in a few seconds, she's standing up and so is he. Elena curls her fingers into Elijah's suit jacket like she might pull him close again and he remains still.

"I want to transition if you'll help me. I don't want to be a killer," Elena says and he nods.

"Of course," He promises it so easily, because it's Elena. She wants to kiss him, but it's not the time. It's not right, they need to go let everyone else she loves know that they don't need to plan her funeral.


	3. College

AN: Elena's first year of college.

* * *

It's not that she doesn't talk to Elijah, but sometimes it's easier just to text him than to Skype, it's easier to lie and say things are fine. Elena just feels alone. College in a different state, surrounded by strangers-maybe it was the wrong choice. A Skype notification pops up on her phone and she accepts the call.

"Elijah," she smiles even though she's got two papers and three tests to study for.

"How are you?" He asks, like he can see the bags she'd have under her eyes if she was human.

"Tired. Lonely. I think I'll be alone for the holidays. How's New Orleans?" Elena tries to change the topic because she doesn't mind what she's doing now, but she can't imagine doing it forever.

"I could come visit with Caroline and Bonnie. And Jeremy if he's available," Elijah offers and Elena lets out a quiet sigh.

"I don't want to ask you or them to cancel their Christmas plans. It's fine. Really," Elena lies. He has other things and people to worry about, the fact she'll probably just stay home and mail presents out for Christmas isn't a big deal. Elijah wishes Elena would stop thinking she's bothering him.

"You are not a burden. If you need help, I am here. If you need someone to listen, I am here. I like hearing from you, lovely Elena. I am here for you," he reminds her. Elena bites her lip.

Maybe just having Elijah over will be fine, but they both know there are lines they can't cross still, things they can't ask of each other. Elena can't ask him to stay and he can't ask her to come to New Orleans until she's ready, there are rules. There's reasons why she hasn't seen him in person in a while and a few of them are homework but each time he's with her, she finds it harder to leave, making herself leave or sending him back to New Orleans gets harder and harder.

"Finals are next week and I won't be a very good host if you come then. Could you come the week after that?" Elena asks like he might have other plans that are important. It's not his first Christmas in New Orleans and his siblings understand how important Elena is.

"I'll be there," Elijah promises and Elena gives him a tired smile.

"I should go before I drown in my homework," Elena says and he nods.

"I'll see you soon," Elena promises.

"Yes, you will," he replies and that pulls one more smile out of her before they end the call.

* * *

Elena opens the door before he knocks, she looks like she finally slept.

"Finals week kicked my ass but I aced all my finals," Elena tells him.

"Congratulations," he says and she knows he means it. It'd be so easy to get lost in his cologne and his warm eyes and just kiss him. He wouldn't stop her, Elijah probably wants it too. He can't stay too long or she might not let him leave. Elena smiles at him anyway.

* * *

Hot chocolate and coffee in the cold morning make things better. Elena told herself she wanted to find herself and have time to be single before she's with Elijah but it's so _easy_. They watch movies on her couch and order takeout, talk about everything but their relationship until Elena can't hide the question that's been on her mind.

"I um, Rebekah said there was a witch who caught your eye. It's okay to date, you know? I don't expect you to wait for me forever and I get it-" Elena begins. The look Elijah's giving her makes her stop talking.

"I'm not interested in anyone but _you_ , lovely Elena," he says. There's no point to being interested when his heart's taken, but he's not sure if she's ready to hear that yet. Someday. She kisses him then, as the sound of the movie turns to background noise.

* * *

This time, she watches him go, to make sure he's leaving and partially because she didn't watch the first two times. Elijah had kissed her forehead again before he left. Spring classes will start soon and she's glad to have the distraction.


	4. No Humanity

Christmas in Mystic Falls is a nice reunion, Elena asked Elijah to meet her at home before they went to Caroline's party.

Elena's car is already there and so is Jeremy's, he parks next to her and waits a moment. There's only one heartbeat in the house though. Jeremy could have gotten a ride to Caroline's party but the sob that he hears indicates otherwise. The door's open, and he sees Jeremy with a broken neck, head in Elena's lap. Elijah shuts the door and she looks at him for a moment.

"Jeremy was like this when I got here," Elena exhales shakily. She closes her eyes for a minute and the tears stop.

"Elena?" he inquires but Elena looks like she doesn't even see him.

"If he was killed by something supernatural he should have woken up by now. Maybe whoever killed him put the ring on after he died. I'll call 911, say he fell down the stairs. They don't look into that type of thing too much right? I mean I know the autopsy will show he died before either of us got here," Elena says calmly.

"You turned off your emotions," he says and she rolls her eyes at him.

"Unless you wanted a crying mess to death with, this was the better option. Jeremy's the only living relative I had left. Now he's gone too. Just me. Wonder when I'll die," Elena says and reaches for her phone.

"Elena. Turn it back on. The longer you wait, the harder it will be," Elijah warns and Elena sighs.

"Ever consider I might not ever turn it back on? This is so much _easier_ already. _I don't want my feelings back because all I do is love and lose people,_ " Elena says as she grabs her phone.

"Elena, stop. Jeremy might come back. Give it a few more minutes," Elijah says and she sets her phone down. Elena looks at him for a long moment before her hand touches his face.

"Do you ever see me? Or am I just a girl with the same face as them? Doesn't it get boring?" Elena taunts. Elijah meets her emotionless eyes.

"You should have turned off your emotions a long, long, long time ago. Saved you a lot of time and effort," Elena informs him and he looks like the Elijah who first met her in that dirty house. Powerful, detached and mysterious.

"That's more like it," Elena says, patting his cheek once before her moves her hand. Elijah catches her wrist.

"Your humanity is a gift, Elena," he begins.

"Then what's my indifference? Is that a gift too? Pretty sure I heard that line in a letter once," Elena says. This wasn't what he had planned, isn't what he thought he'd be doing on Christmas Eve. His grip isn't hard but it's not something she can escape either. There's a sick sound of bone moving that Elijah's heard a few times and Elena's eyes soften. She blinks and she's holding Jeremy tight as he breathes again.

"Elena?" He gasps and Elena cries into his shoulder.

"I thought-I thought I lost you. And kind of lost it. What happened?" Elena asks. She doesn't want to look at Elijah, all those mean things are things she's thought at one point or another but she never meant to say them. She's ruined everything. Jeremy lets go and she looks to Elijah.

"I'm so sorry," she whispers. Losing Jeremy was too much, and she said awful things without a conscience. She ruined everything, ruined Christmas, ruined their relationship. Jeremy's texting Caroline and she looks at Elijah. He doesn't look like he hates her or like he's going to leave when she takes her eyes off him even though she really thinks he should.

They'll need to talk, he thinks, make sure she doesn't think he sees Tatia and Katerina, he's never seen them when he sees her. He needs to remind Elena that what just happened doesn't mean anything, she was distressed and hurt.

"Merry fucking Christmas, huh?" Jeremy asks.


	5. Prague

AN: One more chapter, like the name suggests.

* * *

He sees her as she's leaving a bakery, coffee in one hand, a paper bag sticking out of her purse. Elena's alone, looking at her phone and back to the street as she walks.

"Elena," he says quietly as he begins to walk next to her.

"Elijah! I thought you were still in New Orleans, what are you doing here?" Elena asks and looks at him, it's been a while.

"Here to do some business and get away for a while," Elijah admits and she smiles.

"I'm walking home, do you want to share some of these with me?" Elena gestures to the paper bag in her purse with a grin.

"I probably shouldn't have bought so many baked goods but they all smelled so good and I haven't had anything but coffee yet," Elena says and Elijah smiles, thankful for the light conversation topic.

"If I'm not intruding," Elijah begins and Elena shakes her head.

"You aren't, I promise," Elena smiles again and it's a comfortable feeling, walking next to Elijah through the streets. His hand finds hers and she takes it as she leads the way to her apartment.

* * *

They end up on her loveseat drinking coffee with a few baked goods split in half. Elena's closer than she needs to be, leaning against him like she might not ever leave. Elijah wouldn't mind if she stayed, but Elena's chewing her half of the strudel, quiet with her thoughts and feelings.

"When do you have to do business?" Elena asks quietly as he takes a sip of the coffee she made, cooled enough to stop giving off steam.

"Not for a few days," Elijah admits lightly and she looks at him. He can smell warm vanilla, the candle burning in the kitchen mingles with the smell of Elena's new perfume and the smell of warm baked goods. It'd be so easy to slip into it, not leave for a few days, even as he begins to weigh the risks. Elena kisses him and he stops thinking at all.

* * *

Being with Elena, living with Elena is just _easy_ , the few days they spend together begin a routine quietly, without very much discussion. The last night, Elena knows he'll probably leave her in the morning, it's an early meeting, she might be sleeping. Elena's hands find his and he looks at her curiously.

"Next time," she vows and he understands. The next time she sees him, they'll stay together, she won't leave and neither will he.

"I'll be back in New Orleans when summer begins," Elijah informs her and she kisses him. She just wants a little more time and he seems happy to give it. There hasn't been anyone else for him like there hasn't been anyone else for her. There have been interested men, but Elena only wants Elijah. It works out well that he only wants to be with her too.

"Wake me up before you go?" Elena asks and he nods as he moves the comforter to cover them both.

"You have my word," Elijah promises as her eyelids grow heavy. He presses a kiss to her forehead.

"Sleep," he murmurs and she does.


	6. Home

Elena didn't give him a set date for her arrival, but he knows. Caroline begins to fuss with a guest bedroom suspiciously close to his and she's humming as she does it. Caroline catches his eye and winks.

The next day, Elena knocks on their door after breakfast, tucking hair behind her ear as she waits. He opens the door and she kisses him. After traveling the world alone, living in different cities and countries, she knows home isn't a place. There will be time to see anything and everything with Elijah, they have forever and she's going to take advantage of that. Elena wants to stay in New Orleans for a while before they go anywhere else, wants them to show her the city. Her hand slips into Elijah's and he feels content. Things are as they should be, Elijah thinks.


End file.
